Fade With Me

Chapter 16

"A-Auron," I whimpered, my breath labored and unsteady as I continued to cry uncontrollably. "Please, don't let go…" I closed my eyes, slowly lowering my head to rest it on his chest. My breathing relaxed a little when my ears picked up the faint sound of a heartbeat. Auron was still alive. He was fighting death like the warrior I knew he was.

And I was determined to stay right there with him until he woke up again. No matter what.

So maybe if I just stayed like that, in Auron's arms…everything would seem like it could be alright. I could just pretend that we were taking a little bit of a break from all the constant fighting and traveling that we had been enduring for the past several months. Auron was just…asleep. Yeah. And I was looking out for him until he woke up…so then we could leave and get back to our journey!

I don't think you can get this pale…this cold…from sleeping.

No way. This whole imagination thing was not working out for me at all. Auron wasn't asleep. And even if he was, he would have never allowed me to embrace him…in this way. At least I didn't think so. I wasn't sure if I would ever get a chance to find out one way or the other now.

"Oh, god," I muttered, pressing my body even closer to Auron's. "I am so s-s-sorry for letting this happen to you, A-Auron. I should've been there to help you. I was stupid. And weak." I lifted my head from its previous position close to his shoulder. "And in love, I think."

"Rikku!?"

I could have sworn I just heard a voice calling my name. But that would be too good to be true, wouldn't it? I shrugged the weird feeling off, assuming the voice to just be another figment of my imagination.

A soft smile flitted across my face as I realized something. "I guess I didn't think I was in love with you, Auron." I blinked a few tears away from my eyes. "I know I was. And I still am!"

I put my hand over Auron's abdomen. To my complete misfortune, a wound was steadily seeping out a generous amount of blood. I pressed down as hard as I could with my bare hands to try to staunch the bleeding because I didn't think there was anything else to use as a practical tourniquet. Then again, I wasn't exactly thinking clearly at that particular moment…

"RIKKU!"

There was that weird voice again. But who could be calling my name right now? I was sure to be inhabiting a weird celestial place again, like the one that Baathum had taken me to. Right?

I gasped when I finally took the time to glance away from Auron. I looked up. We clearly weren't in Zanarkand anymore. But we weren't in the celestial space, either. Trees were scattered around me, surrounding us and blowing in the wind. Then, the sound of trickling water reached my ears. I slowly turned my head around to see what was behind me.

How could this be real?

The waters of the Moonflow were right there, rushing up and down the coast in their repetitive motions.

"Rikku, could that truly be you…?"

The voice sounded really muffled, and as I looked around, I still couldn't see anyone…anywhere. "Who is that?" I wondered aloud, getting more and more creeped out by the second. I stood up to take a better look, when a loud crunch came from right underneath my foot. "Huh?"

I slowly lifted my foot away from where I had just stepped. Confusion settled in on me when I saw it…and when I realized I didn't even know what it was.

There were sparks and wires poking out from the damage I had done by stepping on it. Machina was the one thing that was screaming in my mind. This thing looked like purely Al Bhed-made machina.

"Why would there be machina laying around here in this time period?" I thought aloud. "Al Bhed are still discriminated against, so why would they risk leaving this behind?" I squatted down to take a better look at it. "Whatever it is…"

"Lady Rikku?" A soft, accented voice came from right behind me.

I bolted upright again and whipped around to face the intruder. I was a nanosecond away from unsheathing my katana when I saw that it was just Tromell, the Guado goober.

But wait a minute…this Tromell looked much older, sadder, wiser. Even nicer! Could that honestly be possible?

"Tromell?" I asked timidly. "What are you doing here?"

He stuttered around for words for a few moments before bowing to me with a huge smile on his face. "Lady Rikku, I am so glad to have found you. Your presence has been sorely missed." When he straightened himself, he motioned to the area behind him. "Guadosalam is merely up this path, my lady. I am sure you have been wishing to make contact with you friends. They have been looking for y-"

"Why would you want me to be in Guadosalam again, Tromell?" I spat out. "Remember what happened last time I was there? You tried to hurt me! And you only let me go because Braska showed up!"

Tromell had a bewildered look on his face. "I know not of what you speak, my lady." Even as he said it, a brief - very brief - hint of recognition dawned on his features. But it disappeared faster than I even had a chance to fully register it. "Your friends have been looking for you for the last several months. I assure you, they will be extremely pleased to find that you are unharmed…" His eyes trailed to the various slashes and scars all across my body before settling on the gash on the side of my face. "Or at least…moderately unharmed."

"What are you talking about, Tromell? Braska and Jecht can't be looking for me. They're gone," I said in a voice barely above a whisper.

Tromell nodded a few times. "Well, yes. Too right you are. Lord Braska and Sir Jecht cannot possibly be searching for you because they have been deceased for over ten years," he explained in a calm voice.

WHAT!?!?

I blinked in astonishment. My heart started to pound against my chest again. This couldn't actually be happening. This wasn't real! There was no way that I could possibly be back in the future…in my own time! Or was it all just a dream?

I turned around to make sure that Auron was still there.

He was. Thank the gods.

I rushed back to his side when I realized that I had left him unattended for the past several minutes. It wasn't like there was anything I could do to help him besides stay with him. But I still felt awful. Deep down, I felt like my presence could actually help Auron's recovery somewhat.

Hey, wait…I have an idea!

"Tromell?" I asked. When I looked up to make eye contact with him, I noticed that he was staring at Auron's mortally wounded body with an awed - and slightly terrified - expression. He must not have noticed him laying there until this very moment. "Can I ask you a favor?"

"A-Anything, my lady!" He replied with a nervous bow. "Speak your wish and I will be at your service."

I smiled sadly at the immense difference between the past Tromell and this Tromell. It was funny how time changed people…

"Can you help me get him to Guadosalam? Are there really good healers there that can save him?" I started to tear up again. "I don't think he can last much longer…"

Tromell bounded over to me as fast as his large feet could carry him. "But of course, my lady." He looked down at me with a kindhearted expression on his face. From this angle, I could really tell that this was truly an aged Tromell. He was definitely older. And much much nicer.

I was back in the future. My future.

"Thank you so much, Tromell. I appreciate this." A small smile lined my features.

He merely nodded his head in reply.

So together, Tromell and I carried Auron all the way to Guadosalam.

---X---X---X---X---X---

I was lost in thought for the entire walk.

Life, death, good, evil, friends, family, enemies, goals, fights, dreams, hope, love, hate…

I wondered if everything was going to be different now that I was finally back in my own time period. Had everyone missed me? Were they really upset with me? Or will they be mad once they find me? Was I supposed to tell them where I had been and what I had been doing?

I sighed, shaking my head and repositioning my hold on Auron.

How am I going to explain the situation with Auron? If he even makes it…

I gasped at the negative way my thoughts were turning.

NO! Auron will make it! He has to … What am I even thinking!?!?

I would've slapped myself in the face if I had a free hand to do it with…but I clearly didn't have access to that appendage right now. In my head, I made a mental note to do it a little later on, for sure.

---X---X---X---X---X---

Once we finally got to Guadosalam - I was still lost in thoughts, mentally berating myself for the way some of those thoughts were starting to turn out - Tromell and the healers had to practically pry me away from Auron so they could service him with minimal distractions.

And I supposed that meant that I was what they were referring to when they said "distractions," right?

How rude!

"Let me stay with him!" I screamed as they left me in the main entrance of Tromell's - and what was once Seymour's - mansion. "You won't even know I'm there, I promise…" My voice gradually became softer when I realized that I was fighting a losing battle. They weren't about to let me go with them.

At least they'll help Auron.

"Lady Rikku, I understand that you wish to remain with your friend," Tromell stated with an apologetic look on his face, "but it is necessary for your wounds to be examined as well." Just as Tromell said it, another healer arrived, looking at me expectantly.

I shook my head a few times, ignoring the throbbing pain in my skull as I did so - it was steadily becoming more noticeable, especially now that Auron wasn't with me anymore; I was now the distractionless one. Ironic, huh? I hoped I didn't have a concussion or anything. My face still burned a bit, too. I sort of wondered how bad that gash turned out. Would there be a scar? Am I-

GAH!! I need to stop thinking so hard. My head hurts even more when I do that!

I cupped the uninjured side of my face with my hand, closing my eyes for a few seconds. "No, you guys!! NO!" I shouted. When they recoiled at my forcefulness, I toned it down a bit, feeling a bit bad for being so damn difficult for them to deal with. I turned to Tromell with an apologetic gleam in my eyes. "Uh, no. I'm fine, Tromell," I insisted. "Trust me."

"But my lady, your wounds could be more serious than you think they are," Tromell said knowledgably, but then he sighed when I didn't yield to him one bit. "Alright then." His eyes brightened when he thought of something. "But will you allow the healer to help you once we learn more of your friend's condition?" He paused for a moment. "Rather…once he is completely healed?"

That was fair, I supposed. After all, Tromell went out of his way to help us today. I owed him now.

"Yeah, fine," I agreed, crossing my arms. The healer nodded before bounding up the staircase to where everyone else was helping Auron. I could only assume that they would need as many healers as they could get, considering how bad Auron's condition was. I shuddered when the image of his bloodied face flickered in my mind. "Tromell?" I asked in a soft voice after the healer had disappeared.

"Yes, my lady?" he replied with an easygoing smile.

I scuffed the heel of my boot against the floor nervously. "Did you…uh…happen to call my name a few times before you found me out there?" I tried to sound as nonchalant as I could.

Tromell's brow creased as he shook his head. "No, I did not. I was not searching for you, actually, though I am ecstatic to have found you. I was simply on a walk," he explained. "I only called you by name the one time, and that was once I recognized the person I had stumbled across." He scratched his chin with a long-nailed finger. "And I am quite certain that I called out Lady Rikku," he added. "If that is helpful."

I nodded, biting my lip. Then who was saying my name earlier? I shook my head slowly. Screw it…who cares? All that matters is that Auron gets better. Soon, preferably.

I took a seat on one of the comfortable-looking couches a little further into the mansion.

But how did I even bring the past-Auron to my future? This is all so confusing!

At that particular moment I my life, I had never wished to see or to talk to Baathum more.

Could I be anymore confused than I was right now?

I certainly hoped not…

---X---X---X---X---X---

"-seems to be healing quite w-"

"-I will wake the La-"

"-reful!"

"-to be severed concussed-"

"-ku?"

The words were literally flowing through one ear, then directly out the other. The function of my brain at that point was obsolete. I was so incredibly tired, so loopy, and so incoherent at that point. Wait…those all pretty much meant the same thing, right? See, point proven.

I wasn't even sure if I was awake or asleep right now. That was kinda sad.

"--kku?"

Did someone just say my name? Huh, funny. I couldn't bring myself to care. I was too comfortable doing was I was doing right now. Hmm, that led me to my next dilemma. What was I doing? Was I awake? Asleep? Dreaming? Dead…?

"Lady Rikku, wake up!"

Okay, so I was apparently sleeping. Thank you, mystery voice for solving problem number one. Now, for problem number two…where was I?

"Lady Rikku, please wake up. You are in need of treatment for your wounds!" an older, accented voice drifted into my dreamland. Well, I supposed it wasn't called a dreamland since I wasn't necessarily dreaming, but you get my point. "You are in danger of a concussion. We must check your vitals!"

"Huh?" I mumbled disjointedly. "Whozeratohuh?"

The owner of the voice cleared his throat patiently and politely. "My lady, it is Tromell speaking. Please, wake up."

Oh, yeah. Tromell. Guadosalam…Auron!

My eyes darted open and I sat up in a flash. "What? Oww!" I gripped my head in pain. I did a stupid thing by moving so soon, so fast after just waking up.

Stupid, stupid, stupid-

"You are anything but stupid, Lady Rikku," Tromell said good-naturedly.

I just said that out loud?

Tromell cleared his throat again. "Yes, you said that out loud, my lady."

I slowly removed my hand from my face, doing my very best to refrain from wincing in pain. Had those lights always been that bright? And had Tromell's voice always sounded that loud?

I mean, geez!

"Oh! It's just you, Tromell," I said, breathing a sigh of relief. "For a minute there, I didn't remember anything. I thought I was…" I trailed off.

Tromell tilted his head to the side in obvious interest. "You believed you were what, Lady Rikku?" He crossed his arms patiently.

I shook my head, which was stupid because itstill hurt! You would've thought I learned after the first couple times, right? "It's just, I thought I was dead or something, Tromell." I laughed softly. "It's ridiculous…"

Tromell uncrossed his arms and took a seat next to me on the huge couch. "It is not ridiculous, my lady. I know not what you and your friend have just been through to sustain such deadly wounds, but I am sure that it was quite a painful and terrifying experience," he commented as if he was talking about the weather, or the proper feeding methods of chocobos, or something equally boring.

Not like I didn't adore chocobos. Clasko would kill me if he so much as heard me think that.

I wonder how Clasko's doin' these days? He always loved those darn chocobos so much. Ooh! I could tell him the story about Bobo! He would love to hear about that and then we could-

"I believe you may have sustained a more serious concussion than I had originally thought, my lady," Tromell stated conversationally, instantly cutting off all of my random and asinine thoughts. I then realized that Tromell was speaking in such calm and offhanded tones because he was more likely than not correct about my concussion. And if he was panicky about it…that would make me panicky! And in a lot more pain!

"I have a concussion!?" Tysh, I was getting panicky. So much for Tromell's earlier thoughtfulness. Oop, there it went, flying out the window. Bye-bye, good intentions!

He stood up slowly and carefully, trying not to disturb the couch and jar any other movements around me that would cause further pain. "Yes, my lady. And I am pleased to tell you that the healers will now have time to devote to you because they are finished with your friend. A large amount of time has passed while you were napping."

I jumped to my feet abruptly. "F-Finished with Auron? What are you saying, Tromell!?"

He bowed to me with brows furrowed in confusion due to my reaction. "My apologies. What I meant to say was that the healers are finished treating your friend. He is resting upstairs at present, and will wake in a few hours, I am guessing."

"Oh," I said stupidly, closing my eyes when the world started to spin around erratically. "Maybe that's a good idea. I don't feel very good all of a sudden."

"Uh, my lady?" Tromell questioned nervously. I wondered why he was sounding so apprehensive so suddenly. He had been the essence of calm and collected throughout this whole ordeal. What happened? "I have one thing to inform you of that I believe is necessary to know."

"Okay…" I replied with my eyes still shut. "Go ahead. Tell me. I can take it, whatever it is."

Tromell chuckled uneasily. "Well, while you were resting, a few visitors arrived, wishing to see you. I told them to wait for just a few moments so I could rouse you from your sleep, but…" he trailed off.

My eyes blinked open and I stared him down. "But what?"

I had visitors!?

Why hadn't he said so in the first place!?

The Guado shifted uneasily in his stance. "But they are waiting just beyond this room," he explained. "And not very patiently, I might add. My life was actually threatened due to their ire."

I cracked a small smile at that, my heart beginning to palpitate irregularly. "I'm sorry you had to go through that for me, Tromell." I placed a hand on his own briefly. "Thank you for everything you've done." I turned towards the door. "I guess I'll go see who's waiting for me out there, huh."

Though, I already had a feeling I knew who was there.

"Wait, Lady Rikku! Your treatment-" Tromell tried to intervene, but was promptly cut off when I opened and shut the door leading to the next room.

"RIKKU!?"

"Cecdan!" (Sister!)

"You're alright!"

"Oui'na ymeja?" (You're alive?)

"We found you!"

"You broke the Commsphere that located you, Rikku!"

Slap! Someone whacked the owner of that last voice on the back of his head, shutting him up immediately. I wondered what a Commsphere was and who the owner of the voice was ... I'll ask later.

Then, a plethora of voices assaulted my poor aching ears for the next several moments, followed by the owners of all of those voices proceeding to surround me, hug me, kiss me, and cry other various exclamations of joy, but I couldn't say I was unhappy to hear their words or receive their hugs.

After all, I had missed them, too.

---X---X---X---X---X---

Yunie, Brother, Buddy, a kid named Shinra - he made the "Commsphere," which was apparently the machina that I had broken when I arrived in the Moonflow with Auron - and Pops were all here in Guadosalam. I could hardly believe it. I really was back in my own time! I had missed them all so much…

And I was able to visit with all of them for couple minutes to catch up on some stuff - though we never completely touched on the fact that I had been missing for several months. But then Tromell busted in, and the whole happy reunion was broken apart by his stern, serious look. Plus, he claimed that I was in poor health, was greatly injured, and needed to be taken care of immediately. That won them all over right away.

It was cheating in my opinion because of course, when Yunie heard that, she ordered me to a private room so that I could rest. Pssh, like I needed rest! I've been doing nothing but resting since I got here! Well, at least in my opinion…

I consented, but everybody knew it was reluctantly. They all knew that I hated - absolutely despised - hospitals, healthcare facilities, and any other place like that. And that was not even considering that fact that I was going to be the one in the hospital bed.

Ugh, this really bites!

But I had to deal with it. Because Yunie was Yunie. And because Pops looked like he was ready to have a heart attack after looking at my injuries. And because I did kinda feel like I was about ready to pass out - though I would never tell anyone that! And because I did owe it to Tromell, after everything he did for me today.

And most importantly because it meant that I would be in the same room as Auron.

Luckily for me, Tromell and the Guado weren't expecting injured visitors to drop in on them out of the blue, so they only had one room with two separate beds that was properly stocked for stuff like this.

So laying here in my bed, glancing over at a snoozing Auron, I was completely at ease now that I knew for sure that he was going to live. I couldn't even explain in words how happy I was to hear that news. I just…he…he would make it. And I almost cried again. In front of people this time.

The healers said Auron would be asleep for a while. There was no telling how long. But he would be okay.

Tromell promised me that.

A few knocks on the door startled me out of my reveries. I glanced over at Auron to see if he had so much as stirred - which he hadn't - before saying, "Come on in."

Yunie's head peeked through a crack in the door. When she saw that Auron was still asleep, she quietly stepped inside, and silently shut the door. Walking over to me with a small, serene smile on her face, she took a seat on my bed.

"Rikku," she said in that way that I knew she used when she was about ready to talk for a really long time. She reached over to caress the heavily bandaged side of my face. She winced as she stared at it. I could only imagine that my cousin had so many thoughts running through her mind. So many questions.

She was stupid if she didn't know that it was Auron on the other bed. And Yunie was incredibly intelligent, if you were wondering.

"We need to talk," she said, resting her hand on mine. "I need to understand what has happened. Where you were…how…" her gaze fell upon Auron's still form, "he is here right now." She looked at me again. "I need to understand, Rikku. And I'm sorry if this is too soon after everything, but-"

"Yunie," I cut her off, raising my hand into the air. "It's fine, really. You have every right to know what happened." If anyone deserved to know the whole truth, it was my cousin - my best friend, for crying out loud! "And I'll tell you."

"Are you sure?" she asked gently. "There is no rush for me to hear and understand everything, Rikku. Remember that."

I shook my head, and was surprised to find that it didn't cause as much pain as earlier in the day. Those healers really were talented! "Yunie, I love you. You're my cousin and my best friend. So I'm gonna tell you what happened. From start to finish. But you have to promise you'll bear with me through it…and that you won't interrupt till the end."

Yunie nodded her head resolutely. "Alright. Begin whenever you are ready, Rikku."

So I told her.

Every little detail.

From start to finish.

I didn't leave out anything. I didn't sugar-coat anything. Of course it would be difficult for her to hear about when her father was still alive, but she needed to know what happened. I even told her about the time that I waved at her in Bevelle. She smiled at that.

"So you're telling me that you've been gone for the last several months…because you have been in the past?" Yunie tried to clarify once I was finished. "Over ten years in the past, to be specific?"

I nodded slowly, biting my lip. Would Yunie believe me? I could only hope so.

With a heavy sigh, a small smile appeared on my cousin's face. "I believe everything you have said, Rikku. I believe it with all of my heart."

"You do!?" I couldn't suppress the elated smile on my face. "Oh, Yunie, I'm so glad you do!" I reached over to pull her into a tight hug. "And I missed you so much!"

"I missed you terribly, Rikku," she said, nodding once before turning her gaze on Auron again. "There is still one thing, however, that I do not understand."

"You don't even have to say it, Yunie," I said, knowing exactly what she was thinking before she could voice her thoughts. "I don't know how the Auron from the past came back to the future with me, either." I threw my hands up into the air dramatically. "I have absolutely no idea!"

Yunie chewed on her lip indecisively. "I have a theory," she stated suddenly.

My ears perked up. "Do tell," I urged her to continue. "Your theories usually turn out right! Just like your dad, I learned."

She laughed softly. "Not all the time. But thanks." She paused for a moment. "I think that maybe…you breached one of the many pathways linking the past to the future…when you returned to this time."

"What do you mean?" I asked, brows furrowing in confusion.

She sighed. "I believe that maybe, just maybe, the stone Baathum gave you enabled the transfer of more than just you back to your own time. It brought Auron with you because you desired it, and because it was for a sorely unselfish purpose. I also believe that it is…what was meant to happen."

"Don't tell me you believe in fate, Yunie," I joked. When Yuna blushed, I immediately regretted my words. "Oh, I'm sorry! It's okay to believe in stuff like that! Forget I even said anything."

Yuna shook her head a few times. "No, it's silly. I believe in it because it gives me hope for the future. For our future. If I believe in it, then I am sure that what I have done, and what I will do, is the right thing to do."

A memory sparked to mind when she said those last words. "You sound like…Tidus…you know?" I hoped saying his name wouldn't rip open any old wounds. Poor Yunie had enough to deal with as it was…please don't let her get upset!

"Well, in a way…he rubbed off on me," she replied instantly. "In a good way, that is. He was always so optimistic. So cheerful…hopeful."

I nodded absentmindedly. "Yeah, he really was. That's why you loved him."

She shook her head. "No, that is why I continue to love him, Rikku."

My eyes widened at the sincerity in her words. It seemed like Yunie felt the same way about Tidus as I felt right now about Auron.

I nodded again. "I'm glad to hear that." I looked over at Auron and smiled.

"And I see you still love him," Yunie stated matter-of-factly. I blushed. "Oh come on, Rikku. I'm sorry to say this, but it was quite obvious that you had feelings for him on the pilgrimage."

"Shhh!!" I reached over to cover her mouth, which only resulted in her laughing even harder. Which caused me to start laughing hysterically. So by then end, we were both doubled over on the bed, tears running down our cheeks after only a few moments. "Yunie, you're terrible!"

"So are you!" Yuna joked, but then her face turned serious. "Well, Rikku, I am glad that things worked out for you, however weird the method was for them to have done so." She stood up, brushing invisible dust off her skirt. "I always thought Auron had feelings for you as well."

"But Yunie, this is the past Auron!" I cried, ignoring her comment. "We still have to do something about that! You know, with the whole future thing? What are we supposed to say to him? 'Hey, Auron, I was secretly a time traveler sent on an important mission to save your life and bring you back to the future with me, so yeah.'" I rolled my eyes at the sheer stupidity of the comment. "That's not gonna work out, I don't think."

My cousin rested her hand on my own again. "Things happen for a reason, Rikku. Auron was meant to be brought back here, and everything will work out. Just give it some time." She turned to walk towards the door.

"You're leaving me here?" I whined. "I'm all better now, so can't I go out there with you?"

She turned to me, a small smirk on her face. "You want to leave Auron again?"

"No!" I immediately shot back. Then I sighed. "I see your point, you tricky woman. Fine, I'll stay."

"That's what I thought," Yunie laughed before turning around to leave. "We can talk more later, Rikku." Then with a small click, my cousin was gone.

I leaned back in my bed, lost in thought yet again. It amazed me how much Yunie had changed since her time as a summoner. In a good way, of course. I heartily believed that if Tidus was still around…he'd be even more in love with her than ever before.

My heart plummeted at the thought of the unhappy ending to their stories.

I glanced over at Auron from the corner of my eye. He was still out for the count. My heart fluttered happily just from looking at the man. I have it so bad!

But did this mean that I was going to get my happy ending?

Laying down carefully on my pillow, I closed my eyes. I was suddenly extremely tired. It was a long day, and I couldn't seem to get enough power naps in my system.

I hope this lasts.

My red-cloaked guardian was the last thought that crossed my mind before I fell asleep again.

---X---X---X---X---X---

A/N:

Ahh, how refreshing. There's not a cliffie this time! YAAY! Now you can't be mad at me! XD Alright, so I'm thinking one more ((longish)) chapter, then an epilogue? Woot? Though, I'm secretly sad. ='[ I can't believe this story is almost finished! It seems like just yesterday when I was writing the prologue…ah sorry to reminisce. ;D Anyway, thank you all SO MUCH for your continued love/support in reviews, alerts, etc. It has really kept me going throughout this whole story-writing process, and I really REALLY appreciate it!

Love you all!

-koala